Printing-machine



C. F. ROBBINS.

PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 8, 1920.

1,390,388. Patented p 13,1921.

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'1- LL 36 3g 3! 32 a4 Invenror. Charles F. Robbins by MMJKW c; F. ROBBINS.

PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 8, 1920. v 1,390,388. Patentedsept- 13, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- lnvenTor. Charles F. Robbins I A1 Tys. I

invention, I have illustrated in the drawings .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. noBBmSor KEENE, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR To Meeker; gma

COMPANY, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION. orMAs AcnUS 'r'rs; I

PRINTING-MACHINE.

I Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 13, 1921.,

Application filed October 8, 1920. serial No. 415,590.

parts.

This invention relates to printing machines of that type having a plurality of platens and a plurality of type-beds arranged about a common center and constructed so that the platens and type-beds may move relative to each other about the common center, thereby bringing each platen into printing relation with the difierent typebeds successively. A printing machine of this type is illustrated in United States Patent No. 1,279,904, dated September 28, 1918, and I have herein chosen to embody my present invention in a machine having the general construction illustrated in said patent.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide novel means for rotating intermittently the member supporting the platens, and another object of the invention is to provide a novel means for locking said member positively from movement during the printing operation. Other objects of'the invention are to improve printing machines of this type, all as will be more fully herein- V ciated therewith which are arranged to, move after set forth. V y

In order to give an understanding of my a. selected embodiment thereof which will now be described, after which the novel features will be pointed out in'the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a printing machine embodying my invention.- 5

Fig. 2 is a side view of the means for intermittently rotating the platen-supporting member; i q I Fig. 3 is avertical sectional view through the frame and plunger showing the manner in which the lock for the platen-supporting member is actuated by the plunger, said view being taken on substantially the line 33, Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4, Fig. 3; 1 designates the frame of the printing maber 18 rotates.

chine which is provided at its upper end with a head 2 on which is mounted a-plu= rality of radially earranged. type carrying members 3. These type-carrying members 3 are adapted to have a radial sliding move= ment in a horizontal directionand are guided in their sliding movement by suitable ways 4. The type-carriers 3 are designed to carry type of any suitable character. These type= carriers are given their radial reciprocating movement in a horizontal direction by means of a plunger 5 which is mounted in, the frame 1 centrally thereof forvertical recip rocating movement. Said plunger has a cap 6'at its upper end to which is 'pivotally con= nected a" plurality of links 7 each .of said links being pivoted at 8 to two other links 9 and 10. The links 9 are pivotally cone nected to the type-carriers 3 and the links which may be suitably. connected to 'any' driving gear.

Each type carrier has inking rolls 16 asso-q downwardly over the type as thetypeca'rv rier is withdrawn, said rolls in their travel being carried over an inking plate 17 Rotatably'mounted on the frame '1 is a platen-supporting member 18 which carries a plurality of platens 19 that are brought into printing relation with the. different type-carriers as the platen-supporting mem:

This member 18 has an intermittent or step-by-step rotation. so that each platen is brought into printing relation 'with the different type carriers' 3 Succes-i sively.

The parts thus far described are or maybe all as shown in the above-mentioned Patent No. 1,279,904 dated September 28, 1918, and form no part of my present invention.v

One feature of the invention relates to the means for rotating the platen supporting 'member' 18. It is important that the platensupporting member should be accurately positioned at the end of each forward step in order that'the platens may be in the correct position to hold the work properly when the printing head moves against the work to make the printed impression. It is also de sirable that the starting and stopping movement of the platen-supporting member should be as easy as possible because of its Weight, and that the period during which it is at rest between successive forward move ments should be as short as possible and yet permit the printing operation. I have provided herein a simple meansfor intermittently rotating the platen-supporting member which accomplishes both of these results;

"The driving shaft 13 is provided at its end with a crank arm 20 which is connected by a connecting rod 21 to an oscillatory pawlcarrier 22 that is loosely mounted on a stud 23 carried by the frame. 24 indicates a ratchet member in the form of a disk also loosely mounted on the stud 23 and provided in its periphery with a plurality of notches 25. The pawl-carrier 22 has pivotally connected thereto at 26 a spring-pressed feedpawl 27 which is formed with a tooth or projection 28 adapted to engage in the notches 25. 7 As the shaft 13 rotates, the pawlcarrier is oscillated between the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2 and the full line position, and when it reaches the dotted line position, the spring acting on the pawl will force the tooth 28 into a notch 25, and as it swings into the full line position the disk will be carried with it. The notches 25 have square sides, and the tooth 28 is square so that so long as the tooth is in the notch the pawl-carrier and the disk are rigidly'locked to 'ether. V

Ti leans are provided for disconnecting the look from the notch 25 when the parts reach the full line position, Fig. 2, and this is herein accomplished by providing the pawl with an extension 29 and'by providing the crank arm 20 with an extension 30 which is adapted to engage the end of the pawl at this time.

- The shaft 13 rotates in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2, and, therefore, when the parts have reached the position shown in full lines, the portion 30 ofthe crank arm will engage theend of the pawl and swing the pawl out ofengagement with the disk 24.' As the crank arm 20 turns'from the position shown in Fig. 2, the pawl-carrier will be-started from the full to the dotted line position, and as soon as the pawl has been carried beyond the notch 25 with which it has been in en gagement and is released from the extension 30, then during further backward movement of the pawlcarr er, said pawl will 'merely drag over the edge of the disk 24 until said pawl carrier reaches the dotted line'position when the pawl will be forced into a notch 25 by the action of the-spring. The disk 24 is, therefore, intermittently rotated from the crank shaft 13. This disk 24 has a bevel gear 31 rigid therewith, which bevel gear meshes with a bevel gear 32 on a vertical shaft 33 which is journaled in suitable bearings 34 carried by the frame. The shaft 33 has a pinion 35 thereon which meshes with a ring gear 36 rigid with the platen-supporting member 18. The gears 31, 32, 35, 36 are so timed that each forward step of the gear wheel 31 will rotate the platen-supporting member the distance between one type-carrier and the next succeeding type-carrier, thereby advancing the platens from one to another type-carrier. Inasmuch as the pawl 28 and notches 25 have square faces, the platen-supporting member will be controlled entirely by the pawl-carrier until the pawl is released from the disk, and this does not occur until after the platen-supporting member has been brought to rest. There is, therefore, no danger that the platen-supporting member can overrun. 1

The arrangement of crank and connecting rod 21 is such that the return of the pawlcarrier from the full to the dotted line position occurs during less than half a rotation of the shaft 13, and, therefore, the forward feeding movement of the platen support occupies more than half a revolution of the shaft 13. This allows the movement tobe a relatively easy one, notwithstanding that the machine may be operated at a reasonably rapid speed.

The printed impression is made while the paWl-carrier is returning from its full to the dotted line when it has no control over the platen-supporting member. Means are, therefore, provided for locking the platen-supporting member while the printed impression is thus being made, and I have herein provided a novel means which is simple inconstruction and'which is actuated by the plunger 5. The lock is in the form of an annular member 37 which surrounds the plunger 5 and is situated between the top of the platen-supporting member and the head 2. This annular member has a central opening larger than the plunger 5 so that it can move transversely or in a radial direction. It is provided at one end with a guiding arm 38 which operates in a guiding groove 39 in the frame 1, and at the otherend is provided with a locking arm 40 which also is guided in a suitable groove in the frame and which is of" sufiicient length to have locking engagement with one of a'plurality of notches 41 formed in the platen-supporting member 18. The annular member-37 is also provided with two inwardly-extending fingers42 and 43 which are alternately actuated by cams 44 and 45 carried by the plunger. These cams are sustained in grooves 46, 47 extending longitudinallyof the plunger and they are oppositely disposed, as shown best in Fig. 3. In the position shown in Fig. 3 with the plunger down, the finger 42 may be occupying the groove 47 in the plunger, and the finger 43 will be engaged by the cam 45. As the plunger rises and the cam 45 is withdrawn from the finger 43, the

I being rotated, but when the plunger descends and forces the type-carriers outwardly into printing relation with the platen, then the platen-supporting. member isslocked.

Each platen has associated therewith a work-holding finger 48 which is pivotally mounted on the platen-supporting member at 49 and is acted on by a suitable spring 50 which tends to swing it against the work.. .Means are provided-for moving this workholding finger into inoperative position at one station in the journey of the platen supporting member, that is, atthe point where the work is removed and unprinted Work is put in position. Forthis purpose an arm 51 is pivotally connected to the head at 52-, and one of the pivot pins 8 is extended andhas passing transversely therethrough a rod 53, said rod extending loosely through a projection 54 carried by the arm 51. The end of the rod is provided with a collar or nut 55 and a spring 56 which encircles the rod 53 is interposed between the projection 54 and the pivot 8.

When the plunger moves downwardly.

thereby to force the type-carriers outwardly against the platens, the corresponding downward movement of the pivot 8 acts through the spring 56 to move the arm 51 downwardly, and in such downward movement,

this arm engages a projection 57 rigid with the work-holding finger 48. Hence every time that the plunger 5 moves downwardly, the arm 51 is swung downwardly and thereby acts to retract the work-holding finger 48. As the plunger moves upwardly, the spring 50 will return the work-holding finger to its operative POSItlOIL' Vhile I have illustrated a selected embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the constructional features shown.

I claim:

1. In a printing machine of the type having a frame carrying a plurality of radially-movable type-carriers, a, rotatable platen-supporting member carrying a plurality. of platens, and means to give the platen-supporting member an intermittent rotative movement, thereby to-.'bring the platens into line with-the type-carriers sue;

cessively,, the combination with aplunger.

reciprocating in the frame for giving the type-carriers their radial movement, of a lock forholding the platen-supporting member from rotation while the printed impression is being made, and means to actuate said lock by the movement of the plunger. 2 in a printing machine of the type having a frame carrying a. plurality of radially-movable type-carriers, a rotatable platen-supporting member carrying a plurality of platens,"and. .means' to give the platen-supporting member an intermittent rotative movement, thereby to bring the platens into'line withthe-type-carriers, suc

cessively, the combination with a plungerreciprocating in the frame for giving the type-carriers their radial movement, of a lock'for holding the platen-supporting member fromzrotationwhile theprinted impression is being made, and means to move the look into locking position by movement of the plunger inpone direction and to'release the look by movement of the plunger in the other. direction.

v3,;Ina printing having a; frame carrying a plurality of radially-movable type-carriers, a rotatable platen supporting member carrying a plurality. of platens, and means to give the platen supporting .-member an intermittent f rotative movement, thereby to bring the platensv into line with the type-carriers suc-. cessively, the combination with a plunger reciprocating in the frame for giving the type-carriers their radial movement, of a lock for holding the platen-supporting member from rotation while the printed impression is being made, and a cam on the plunger to move the lock into locking position.

4. In a printing machine of the type having a frame carrying a plurality of radially-movable type-carriers, a rotatable platen-supporting member carrying a plurality of platens, and means to give the platen-supporting member an intermittent rotative movement, thereby to bring the platens into line with the type-carriers successively, the combination with a plunger reciprocating in the frame for giving the type-carriers their radial movement, of .a lock for holding the platen-supporting member from rotation while the printed impression is being made, a cam on the plunger to move the lock into locking position, and another cam to release the lock.

1 5. In a printing machine of the type machine the type;

having a plurality of type-carriers, and a corresponding number of platens arranged about a common center, a rotary platen-supporting member sustaining the platens, and means including a crank shaft for moving the type-carriers radially toward and from the platens, the combination with said platen-supporting member, of a crank arm on said crank shaft, an oscillatory pawlcarrier connected to said crank arm, a rotary notched disk, a pawl pivotally connected to said carrier and cooperating with said disk to rotate the latter intermittently as the pawl-carrier is oscillating, a bevel gear rigid with said notched disk, and gearing connecting said bevel-gear to the platensupporting member.

6. In a printing machine of the type having a plurality of type-carriers, and a corresponding number of platens arranged about a common center, a rotary platen-supporting member sustaining the platens, and means including a crank shaft for moving the typecarriers radially toward and from the platens, the combination with said platen-supporting member, of a crank arm on said crank shaft, an oscillatory pawl-carrier connected to said crank arm, a rotary notched disk, a pawl pivotally connected to said carrier and cooperating with said disk to rotate the latter intermittently as the pawl-carrier is oscillating, a bevel gear rigid with said notched disk, gearing connecting said bevel-gear to the platen-supporting member, and an extension on the crank arm constructed to engage the pawl and periodically release it from the disk.

7. In a printing machine of the class described, the combination With a frame carrying type-carriers, of a rotatable platen-supporting member, )latens supported thereby,

means including a crank-shaft for moving the type carriers' toward and from the platens, a notched disk mountedto rotate aboutan axis parallel-to the crankshaft, an oscillatory pawl-carrier situated 'co-a'xia'll yi with said disk, a' spring-pressed pawl'45 mounted on said carrier, a'connection" be tween said pawl-carrier and crankshaft whereby-the latter is oscillated, and 'gearingconnecting the notched disk with the platensupporting member.

- 8. In a printing machine of the class described, the combination'with'a frame carrying type carriers, of a rotatable platen-sup- I porting member carrying a platen, means to rotate the platen-supportingmember inter mittently tobring the platen into operative position relative to the type carriers successively, meansto move each-type carrief toward and from said platen when the lat ter is in such operative position, a Workholding finger associated withsaid platen for holding work thereagainst, and means actuated by the movement of each type carrier toward the platen to move said finger into inoperative position. 7 4 I 9. In a printing machine of the class described, the combination with a frame carrying type-carriers, of a rotatable platensupporting member carrying a platen, means to move the type-carriers toward and -7 from the platen, spring-pressedfwork holding fingers for holding the work against theplaten, and means actuated by the' movement of the type-carriers toward the platen to move the fingers into inoperative position. '75

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

CHARLES F. ROBBINS. 

